Genres as Sites of Intercultural Encounters: New Perspectives for a Comparative Genre Theory
Genres as Sites of Intercultural Encounters: New Perspectives for a Comparative Genre Theory

Summary/Abstract: The definition and perception of literary genres in different cultural areas is of paramount interest to studies of the reception of an œuvre. Using the examples of the recaption of Emile Zola’s œuvre by Austrian critics as well as that of Arthur Schnitzler by French critics, this article analyses the place of tacit assumptions about genre in critical discourse. In both cases, articles published during the authors’ lifetime will be examinated (1880-1902, on the reception of Zola in Austria and 1894-1938 for that of Schnitzler in France). These articles illustrate the problematics of genre during the process of reception and cultural tranfer. The analysis opens with a reflection on the criteria for definitions and usage of genre terms, as well as the impact of questions of genre on the reception of works.

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